Monday, November 17, 2008

Calvinism, God, & I

Calories eaten yesterday: 1275
Fat: 22g (16%)
Carbs: 117g (37%)
Protein: 148g (47%)
Weight this morning: 133.2 (One week ago: 135)
Calories burned in exercise today: 332

Did lower body and core at the gym today - 1 hour. Then I got on the elliptical for 30 minutes. I wore my heart monitor and worked to keep my heart rate up.

Tomorrow is my bi-monthly mail run into the City.

Hmmm, okay, the God stuff I promised. I have been finding myself moving more and more toward Calvinism, primarily because of Dr. James Whites' You Tube videos, and also from talks with Brad. This scares me because I don't want a God like that. I want a God who lets us have a say in whether we are saved or not, a God who draws everyone, not just the elect. In my humanness, I want to have a say in my salvation.

The issue for me - the root of it all, if you will - is can I love a Calvinist God who elects some to salvation and damns others to hell? I know He doesn't have to save any of us - none of us deserve it and it is grace that He chooses to save anyone. But I am still struggling. I also know I need to take it up with God and talk to Him about it, but I haven't found the time thus far, mostly because I don't make finding the time a priority, though it clearly should be.

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2 comments:

Lira said...

*Hugs!*

Something one of my pastoral mentors told me once came to mind as I read this.

It behooves us to consider our understanding of love. This is because the ultimate, essential thing that scripture tells us about God overall is that God is love. There are indeed many Christian traditions and many ideas of who God is and how God operates. So it is good to ask: As best as we can understand love, in light of what we know at present, is a Calvinist God (or any other view of Him) a God defined by love?

This question has stuck with me for years. I don't know that it will help, but I thought I'd share.

The peace of Christ be with you.

~ Lira

Arthur_of_Old said...

Good point Lira!!! Yet, as I read the Bible, watch what was said to Moses on the Mount. Was terrifying to Him. I look at that and think, this God is a God of Good and peace. We are at war with Him. He did not declare the war. We did. Point to ponder.

Genesis is a good place to understand what man did to rebel against God. It was not God attacking helpless man. For, if God, who is all powerful wanted to be as described by many; we'd been in a totally different world than now present.

Soon, and I think very soon, we'll see a world like man would run it without God. Which He will have to end because it will not reflect His way or mercy.People that believe in God and seek to follow Him will be challenged. If we stay with Him, we will be judged unfit for society. Then, suffering will be inflicted to modify or if not, maybe execution as an example to others. It is mans ways that are unequal, not God's. That is the problem. We don't understand the problem.

Read what happened. God did not force Eve to accept Satan's deception. He made her able to conquer and gave her a power guide in her Husband Adam. But, she tried to do it alone. As with God, if we go it alone against Satan... we're doomed to fail. That is an example to us all. Read Read Read the Bible, it clears up all the out of focus things of life very clearly. A sinner B---Rad!

Peace to you.